Indy Blue

Ever since I became a mom my heart for all things birth and motherhood grew exponentially. What a blessing to be able to chase after the passion of family and motherhood within my career, through family + newborn photography. This was something I actually steered away from for a bulk of my career when I was a wedding photographer. My vision for family photography took on a whole new depth, once I actually became a mom. Something I never envisioned back when I first started this small business.

A big “unseen” for me was that I would find my way into birth photography (and love it). Oh man, when I tell you that the adrenaline and emotion is like nothing I have ever photographed before. I’d photograph births full time if my schedule and lifestyle allowed for it. For now, I am not taking on any birth photography since the on-call nature of births don’t pan out too well with my husbands airline schedule. Those middle of the night calls get tricky when you’re home solo with two kids nestled in their beds. Who am I kidding, when Caleb is traveling they’re nestled in right beside me.

This is why I love when I get to photograph “fresh 48” sessions. These are not full newborn sessions with outfit changes and it does not cover any labor or delivery. A Fresh 48 is a half an hour of keepsake photography to savor your new baby in all of their just-born, peach fuzz glory.

Most times these sessions are photographed in your hospital room within the first 48 hours, before you get discharged to head home. However with sweet Indy Blue, he was the “lucky” 7th sibling to join his family so mom and dad were blessed with an early discharge from the hospital so we photographed his fresh 48 within his first few hours at home.

I’ve know the Courtney Family for quite some time. Kelsey and I have worked together a lot in the past whether she was modeling for me or styling sessions ( you might remember her from our “Styled By Rae” days were she was on board MNP as a stylist for portrait sessions)! She has also become a dear friend doing motherhood, school life and church life together. Needless to say, it was a joy to photograph this for her. I have never seen a role integrated so effortlessly than Kelsey and motherhood. I love how soft and golden these images feel - what a perfect summation for this final, lucky chapter in the Courtney Family.

- Meagan